Dumb-bell.



E. SANDOW.

DUMB BELL. AFPLICATION man SEPT. 4. 19:3.

1 ,%Q9 65 i Patented June 12,1917.

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EUGEN SANDOW, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

DUMB-BELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 119M.

Application filed September 4, 1913. Serial No. 788,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGEN SANDOW, a subject of the King of Englandresiding at London, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in and Connected with Dumb-Bells, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to dumb-bells of the kind provided with a bar orhandle which may consist of two or more springcontrolled longitudinalmembers adapted to yield or be compressed when grasped by the hand ofthe user, and the present improvements consist in providing such bar orhandle with a surface that will offer a uniformly distributed resistanceto the users grasp and so afford the required exercise to the muscles ofthe hand, fingers and thumb as well as to the extensor and fiexormuscles of the forearm.

My invention consists in providing the outer surface of the said bar orhandle or the parts thereof with a surface or surfaces shaped to conformwith the interior of the users hand when in the grasping position.

According to one mode of carrying my invention into practice, I employthe type of dumb-bell consisting of two longitudinal halves which areforced apart by a number of helical springs to an extent limited byheaded studs which pass through holes, recesses or the like in one partand are screwed into or otherwise secured to the other part.

The exterior surface-of each half of the handle of thedumb bell isformed with grooves or depressions adapted to receive the fingers of theuser and the other half may be provided with a graduated hump to conformwith the thick part of the thumb against which it may rest. It isobvious that the bar of an ordinary single part dumb-bell may beprovided with a similar surface.

In order to obtain the aforesaid configuration to the surface of the baror handle or the parts thereof, the model or pattern from which therequisite mold is made may be provided with a layer of a plasticmaterial, such as wax, and subsequently grasped by the hand in theposition in which the dumb-bell should be held when in use.

By the means hereinbefore described the dumb-bell is rendered morecomfortable to the hand of the user so that the required exercise isobtained without undue fatigue.

I will now proceed to more particularly describe my invention with theaid of the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of aone part dumb bell of ordinary construction provided with the improvedgripping surface.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the present invention applied to a spring gripdumb bell, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2.

According to the construction shown in Fig. l the bar portion g of adumb bell of ordinary construction is provided with a surface havingdepressions t on one side to receive the users fingers, while the underside, which is the same as that shown in Fig. 2 is shaped to conformwith the rest of the users hand.

According to the construction illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3, the dumbbell consists of two longitudinal halves a, I), each of which consistsof two half bells 0, (Z, and c, f, respectively which are united by bars9. The two longitudinal halves m, b, are forced apart by a number ofhelical springs c to an extent limited by headed studs 9' which passthrough holes at in the bell portion of one half and are screwed into orotherwise secured to the bell portion of the other half.

The grip portions 9 of the dumb bell are provided with depressions twhich conform to the shape of the users hand. One half of the dumb bellbears the depressions corresponding with the fingers of the user (as isshown in Fig. 1) and the other half illustrated in Fig. 2 conforms tothe shape of the users hand.

It is obvious that the dumbbell for use with the right hand will be thereverse of that to be used with the left. It will also be obvious thatdifferent patterns may be provided to suit different shaped hands.

I claim:

1. A dumb-bell, having a grip-portion provided with a surface havingprojections and depressions to conform with the shape of the users handswhen in the gripping position, for the purpose of evenly distributingthe gripping pressure over the inner surface of the users hand,substantially as set forth.

2. A spring-grip dumb-bell comprising in combination two longitudinalhalves, each of which has a bar with half bells at its ends, headedstuds passing through holes in one half and secured to the other half,springs between said halves, to urge them apart, projections anddepressions forming a counter-part of the users fingers when in 5 thegripping position applied to the bar portion of one of the longitudinalhalves of the dumb-bell, andprojections and depressions forming acounter-part of the users palm and the ball of his thumb when 10 thedumb-bell is grasped, applied to the bar portion of the otherlongitudinal half, substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 15 tWo subscribing Witnesses.

EUGEN SANDOl/V.

Witnesses:

IIUBER'I EDWIN BEESLEY, EDGAR A. Gonnm.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

